Watching as people filed into WaMu early last night, there was one word almost everyone uttered the second they passed through the doors and saw the mainstage: “Wow.” FreakNight has always been a huge affair complete with some of the biggest artists the world has to offer, but this year USC Events pulled out all the stops. Each stage had its own personality, from the Midway of Mayhem’s spectacular lasers to the Bass Asylums pillar-to-pillar LED panels, each room was a whole new experience.
But it wasn’t just the spectacles that caught our eye. Free water refill stations moved like clockwork, fellow concertgoers took care of each other to an extent we’ve never before seen, and there wasn’t a single bad vibe to be found. In the lead-up to Freaknight, the message of safety was pushed hard, and it appeared as though the end result was a collective push from the Seattle scene to show everyone just how amazing we can be. It remains to be seen how the final night will go in this regard, but if it’s anything like that initial effort it’ll be a rousing success.
Despite the never-before-scene level of production, the main event was still the music. With something for everyone, there was simply no way that everyone wasn’t completely and utterly satisfied. Jumping from stage to stage, you could experience the pure jubilance of W&W, and then follow that by wandering into the Midway of Mayhem for a face-full of lasers, Tritonians, and beautiful trance. Making the trek all the way back to bass stage, a proud few gathered for KOAN Sound’s glitchy bass while everyone else gathered for Cosmic Gate and Calvin Harris. Tough decisions about who to see were abound, and were a testament to just how stacked this Day 1 lineup was.
The night continued on as Hardwell and New World Punx closed out on the mainstage. With the back-to-back acts complementing each other to perfection, we couldn’t imagine a better way to conclude the first night of festivities. Hardwell’s brand of sing-along house and hard drops led right into New World Punx delivering the heaviest and grooviest live trance we’ve ever seen at a USC massive. As the clock ticked towards 3:30am, Markus Schulz and Ferry Corsten left the stage, and the exhausted yet exuberant masses departed WaMu. With another long night ahead of us, it’s safe to say we’ll all be recovering from the safety of our couches as we eagerly await the final step of “Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat.”
Read all our Freaknight 2013 coverage here!
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